Shoulder strap clasp



1958 A. EILERTSEN SHOULDER STRAP CLASP Filed July 26, 1955 I INVENTOR ADOLPH E/LERTSEN BY v flag wv ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,823,384 v SHOULDER STRAP CLASP Adolph Eilertsen, Centereach, N. Y.

Application July 26, 1955, Serial No. 524,355

3 Claims. (Cl. 2-2) The present invention relates to fastening means and more particularly to clasps for maintaining shoulder straps in position.

The usual construction of ladies undergarments such as slips and brassieres provide narrow shoulder straps made of fabric and fastened at each end to the garment. The strap passes over the wearers shoulder and serves to maintain the garment in place. Since the contour of a persons shoulder generally slopes downwardly, the garment straps have a tendency to slip down off the shoulder. It is to this general problem that the present invention is directed.

It is customary for a woman to have a slip strap and a brassiere strap over each shoulder. Each of these straps has a tendency to independently slide or fall off the shoulder. It has been found that a flat clasp operable to join the straps on each shoulder together will maintain the straps in place and prevent off-shoulder slipping thereof.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an improved means to prevent shoulder straps from slipping off a persons shoulder.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved type clasp especially adapted for use with shoulder straps of ladies undergarments.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shoulder strap clasp of simple and inexpensive construction and easily and conveniently used.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a developed plan view of a clasp embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the clasp of Fig. 1 in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a clasp in use holding together a pair of shoulder straps;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modification of the clasp of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a developed plan view of a further modification of the clasp of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a view of the clasp of Fig. 6 in closed position;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the clasp of Fig. 7.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, there is shown a clasp generally indicated by numeral 10 which is made of a flat thin sheet material that may preferably be plastic. The clasp may be stamped out of a large flat sheet in quantity or alternatively, it may be molded. In either case, the clasp will have a contour as shown in Fig. 1 and include a wide base portion 11 and a narrow flap portion 12. The extreme ends are rounded at the corners thereof to avoid sharp edges. The junction area of the base and flap portions is also similarly rounded. A pair of parallel transverse slits 13 and 14 are cut in the base portion to define a strap 15. The slits are slightly longer than the width of the flap 12 so that the latter may be readily inserted under the strap 15. In addition, the strap is raised slightly from the plane of the base portion. It has been found that this may be accomplished by heating the plastic while pressing out the strap 15. A sharp crease 16 is made transverse of the clasp so that the flap portion 12 normally extends in'the direction of strap 15.

When using the clasp, it is placed on the shoulder as seen in Fig. 4. The brassiere and slip straps are then placed over the base portion 11 and the flap is inserted in the slits 13 and 14 under strap 15. In this manner, the two garment straps are held together on the shoulder. If one strap tends to slip, the other will hold it in place as shown.

The modification shown in Fig. 5 is similar to that above described, except that perforations 17 are made in the base portion 11. This adds to the comfort of a wearer especially in hot weather in that it provides ventilation.

A further modification is shown in Figs. 6 through 9 in which the clasp is slightly longer than the one above described and has two pairs of transverse slits 18, 19 and 21, 22 which define straps 23 and 24 respectively. It is readily seen then, that when the clasp is closed, the flap portion 25 is inserted under straps 24 and 23. With the clasp thus closed, an inner and an outer loop is defined each of which may receive a shoulder strap. When placed in position, this clasp may have the slip shoulder strap passing through the inner clasp loop and the brassiere shoulder strap passing through the outer clasp loop between the straps 23 and 24. With the clasp thus positioned, the two shoulder straps will be held together and in position on the wearers shoulder. If it is desired to remove the clothes temporarily, it is only necessary to slide the outer end of the flap out from under strap 23 and remove the shoulder strap thereunder. The flap 25 remains in position under strap 24 so that the inner loop is maintained around the shoulder strap, such as 26 passing therethrough. Thus, if 26 is a slip strap, the slip may be' removed and the clasp will remain fastened thereto. When the clothes are put back on, the clasp is in place on the wearers shoulder and need only be attached to the other garment strap.

Though the present invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments thereof, it is understood that these are not to be considered as limiting the invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for securing together a plurality of garment shoulder straps to prevent slipping thereof comprising a flat elongated member having a wide base portion and a narrow flap, said base and flap being formed of one piece of material, one end of said flap being integral with one end of said base portion, the junction of said wide 'base portion and narrow flap being tapered, the ends of said fiat elongated member being rounded, a sharp transverse crease dividing the base and flap whereby the flap is continually urged against the upper surface of the base portion, said crease being so formed that the flap will normally be urged against said base portion, a pair of parallel transverse slits in said base portion defining a strap, said strap being raised above the plane of the base portion, said slits being longer than the width of said flap whereby the flap may be inserted through said slits to form a loop adapted to receive a garment shoulder strap transverse of said flat elongated member.

2. A device for securing together a plurality of gar- Patented Feb. 18, 1958 ment shoulder straps to prevent slipping thereof comprising a flat elongated member of plastic material having a wide base portion and a narrow flap, said base and flap being formed of one piece of material, one end of said flap being integral with one end of said base portion, the junction of said wide base portion and narrow flap being tapered, the ends of said flat elongated memher being rounded, a sharp transverse crease in said plastic member dividing the base and flap whereby the flap is continually urged against the upper surface of the base portion, said crease being so formed that the flap will normally be urged against said base portion, two pair of spaced parallel transverse slits in said base portion defining a pair of straps, said pair of straps being raised above the plane of the base portion, said two pair of spaced parallel slits being longer than the width of said fiap whereby the flap may be inserted through said slits to form a pair of loops each adapted to receive a garment shoulder strap transverse of said flat elongated member.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said base portion has a plurality of perforations therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 680,477 Drosness Aug. 13, 1901 2,689,348 Crawford Sept. 21, 1954 2,699,550 Freid Jan. 18, 1955 2,719,303 Lodenius Oct. 4, 1955 

